Why I miss you
by rachael-ly
Summary: When Mammon goes back to being Viper, Belphegor suddenly changes how he treats... her? [Rated M for language and possible violence]
1. Chapter 1

The Varia headquarters never looked so small, thought a tired from travelling Mammon. Small, light steps on the den of the feared animals of the Vongola seemed so unreal, but for the illusionist, it was as if it was just a walk to the park.

As usual the interior of the establishment was top class. Like the people who stayed and lived there during their non-work days- or when they're bored at constantly shedding bloodshed- the castle that has long been the home of the said assassins were of Varia-quality.

Nothing less than perfect, to be exact.

Mammon- as if it was the first time the illusionist had seen the castle's interiors- idly looked around, taking in as much detail as one could. The ceilings were high and proud, much like every one of its inhabitants. One glance around and it's easy to know how old yet classy the design was, it must have dated from years ago, proof that the Vongola cannot exist without capable people in the arts of assassination. A look to the left and there was a window, draped in fine velvet. It was already dark and the cloudy skies disabled Mammon from looking at the moon.

Shame, the moon was always comforting to look at.

The large, heavy, wooden doors opened, the sound not failing to catch the attention of the only figure that's been walking the long halls. The noise of 3-5 men indicated they were just lackeys, and the loud, uneducated singing indicated they were only out drinking.

Nothing of importance. Irrelevant child's play.

For short, it was not worthy of Mammon's attention.

Not even bothering to look back, Mammon simply continued to walk onwards, already aware of the time and the fact that it was already 13 minutes after the supposed meeting time.

Being tardy shouldn't be so bad, especially when one had good reasons.

"_Doesn't it get tiring?" A calm and gentle voice said, the deepness of his voice resonated in Mammon's head as if the words were said directly at the annoyed illusionist's ears._

_Of course that wasn't how things were; there was always distance between Mammon and the rest of the arcobaleno. The curse they shared was no excuse for them to be 'friends' or what-not. If anything, it was just a reminder of how wretched things have become due to being associated with their lot._

"_What are you blabbering about now, Fon?" Replied Mammon irritably, the steps the illusionist now took became lengthier, an obvious attempt to flee from the company of the martial artist._

"_Hiding behind a mask is never healthy, even for you." Cool as always, Fon simply caught up with the greedy arcobaleno. In a matter of seconds, he was already behind the escaping Mammon. "You can go back to your old life, you know. After all this."_

_Mammon let out an irate grunt, refusing to respond since it will only encourage Fon to go on with his words of supposed wisdom. Mammon was not stupid. Mammon didn't need any advice whatsoever,_

_Mammon did not need Fon and his nonsense about identities._

"And yet here I am." Mammon muttered as the short flash back ended, eyes now staring at the dining hall door, reserved for those of the Varia's top assassins. There was hesitation as the illusionist's small hands reached for the door, muffled voiced could be heard from the outside, but none of it was clear enough for Mammon to distinguish whether or not the meeting had started.

Bickering.

For sure, there was bickering.

None of their meetings and meals together had ended without one or two arguments arising. Mammon, being the more quiet and reserved one who chose to eat the quality food being served, simply listened and allowed herself to be amused, only adding a snarky remark here and there from time to time.

The particular loudness heard from even outside was surely from Superbia Squalo. The second in command of the Varia had a certain flare when it came to arguments, yet no one took him seriously despite the authority in his voice.

Or Lussuria with all his flamboyancy and cooing at every little thing. If not for his expertise in martial arts, Mammon would never see him as one worthy of anyone's attention, let alone his. But his comments were always entertaining; Mammon at least gave him that.

There's always Leviathan, of course. Ever so loyal to the boss Levi. For the entire time Mammon has known the man, he has always been the target of insults and bullying. There was something about his nature that urged everyone who found joy in stirring irritation from others.

One of those was Belphegor.

The Varia's prince. The obnoxious and annoying brat who never fails to make Mammon's quiet days impossible to have. Even now, there was a high chance he was the one causing this commotion.

It almost made Mammon smile.

Almost.

Adjusting the hood that reliably concealed the mysterious illusionist's eyes, Mammon took a deep breath before finally opening the doors of the dining hall.

The noise stopped abruptly.

"My, you have cute little breasts." Commented the always flamboyant Lussuria, immediately breaking the silence stirred by Mammon's arrival. All eyes were now on the illusionist, questions refusing to be opened yet. Their boss, however, had other matters to point out.

"You're late." Said a glowering Xanxus, more displeased than shock at the tardiness of his mist. Mammon simply chose to not directly look at him, he had a knack for injecting fear on those who dared and meet him eye to eye. Mammon was more than happy to simply walk onwards and sit down on the chair that was always occupied by the sweets-loving illusionist. That specific spot, along with the one next, always had more sweets and desserts than the other sides of the table. Mammon and Belphegor were more than pleased with the said arrangements, and the servants are relieved to be able to sleep well without having any casualties all because they failed to serve anything 'properly'.

There was an odd and heavy atmosphere around the table, and despite Mammon's attempt to simply eat like usual, the stares were making it impossible. With a small sigh, Mammon continued to cut the steak on the plate in front and started speaking, "I'm inclined to charge an observation fee if this keeps up. Except for you, Boss."

"Shishishi…" A maniacal chuckle almost made Mammon stop, but didn't, of course. It was just the prince. "What game are you playing, Mammon? Coming here like that after disappearing for a week."

Had it really been a week? Mammon failed to notice how time flew. "I don't know what you're talking about, prince. Has the meeting ended?"

But Belphegor had no intentions of answering Mammon's inquiry. Oh no, no, no. The prince had other plans. At the moment, he was set on finding out why in the world Mammon was—

"Why are you cloaking yourself in such an overrated illusion? Tired of being a baby? A girl's no better, go back to being cheeky."

-a girl. Or a woman, to be more precise. Although her features didn't exactly scream feminine, Mammon still chose to come back here, tonight, at her supposed home after all this years, finally in her true form.

"And what if I don't?" Mammon said simply, again refusing to entertain the now madly grinning blood prince's demands. And why should she when all this time she had suffered from being in that wretched body? A baby? Her? The feared and widely renowned psychic Viper? Ha! "Best to get used to this now, I won't be going back any time soon." Or ever. "Pass me the salt."

But the salt was never passed; Belphegor simply stopped grinning and turned away. Apparently he was upset, but for what?

Squalo quickly ended what seemed like a small dispute between allies, and proceeded to go on with the meeting. The Varia received a large number of possible recruits, all with backgrounds that fit their high expectations. In months time they will undergo personal observation from the Varia's top members, for short, everyone in the dining hall. With the exception of Xanxus.

"I sent in portfolios last Wednesday. Mammon, since you've been missing over the last few days, I'll give yours after the meeting. Clear?" Squalo turned to face Mammon, a glint of curiosity over certain unasked questions still in his eyes. When Mammon simply nodded, he paused for a moment before finally asking what everyone had been dying to ask, "What happened on your trip with the rest of the arcobaleno?"

With the exception of Xanxus and Squalo, Mammon chose not to tell the rest of the Varia where she was headed to when she left the headquarters on one Sunday night. 'Arcobaleno matters' was the term she used to describe the purpose of her sudden leave. Xanxus didn't object, and naturally, so did Squalo.

Now, what they needed, were answers.

In a slow pace, Mammon slowly told them of how her body had been stinging after the representative battle. It was a tolerable sort of pain. But in some instances, it would grow so strong, even Mammon would be left groaning in pain. On those times, she'd simply leave the castle or lock herself in her room, only returning once the pain became tolerable once more.

Not long after, Reborn had contacted her along with the rest of the arcobaleno. It wasn't just her; the other 6 were experiencing the odd pain too. Left with no one to answer their questions, they decided to do so for their selves, once against embarking on a journey to go back to where their curses started.

After the craze brought forth by the representative battle, everyone assumed they would have to live 'normally' and simply grow up again. Their curses were already lifted and patience was all they required. But as the pain being triggered the closer they get to pacifier spring increased, the more they realize the curse was still there, still contained in their infant bodies.

Mammon twitched as she recalled how they were practically forced to drag theirselves, the pain almost unbearable and only their will to continue urged them on.

When they finally reached their destination, almost at once, a bright, mysterious light blinded them. Unable to know what was going, they all fell to the ground, the pain fully immobilizing them.

Mammon can still remember it clearly. How she ended up crouching on the ground, hands clutching her head as it felt like it was exploding. Then she inevitably fell on the ground, nothing but a scream escaping her as unimaginable pain hit her.

For a moment, it felt like she was dying.

And like all deaths, there's that one moment full of flashbacks.

Hers was too short. Mammon's flashbacks consisted of short glimpses of a poor childhood, adolescence focused on the realization and honing of her psychic abilities, an adult life full of pride brought forth by her skill, and then… it stopped with the image of her infant form.

Yes, that was her first death. She had died then during the start of this curse. And now, she'll die again despite being sure it was finally lifted.

A surge of pain came to Mammon again, this time causing her to roll on the ground, hands desperately banging the ground.

_Let me die already_! she thought angrily, almost pleading for death, choosing it over the pain she was feeling now.

Another flashback appeared, this time it was of her life after the curse was given.

And what a 'happy' flashback it was.

Life as an assassin didn't call for a lot of happy times or memories that were considered important enough to be cherished. The first years of her stay in the Varia was dull and consisted of the same old routines.

Mission after mission, Mammon would return to the headquarters and rest. On some occasions she'd venture out, equipped with the money she worked hard to have, and attempt to rid herself of the curse. But there was a sudden rip in Mammon's tide of dull routines. A rip that came in the form of a bratty prince.

Irritating as they were, the memories that flashed almost always consisted of an image that contained the blond heir of a dead monarchy. More so often than not, Mammon was being purposely dragged by the prince in his attempts to relieve themselves of boredom, and the mist baby found herself getting so used to the spontaneous activities, she didn't realize it became the only memories she'll ever deem cherishable.

And now those memories will remain as just memories, death was near, Mammon was sure of it. Her body was growing numb to the pain and all that she could feel was the pain in her eyes brought by the blinding light.

_At least let me say goodbye._

Came her last wish as consciousness slipped away.

"And then I died." Said Mammon simply as she reached for the glass of wine and promptly took a small swig.

One glare from the feared boss was all it took for Mammon to take back her joke, the smug smirk that almost formed in her lips never came to be. Instead, there was just a small line on her lips. A short pause passed, and then she continued. "Technically, Mammon died. The entity of the mist arcobaleno—the infant who I've been taking the form as is… no more."

"Obviously." Snarled a seemingly bored Belphegor, not liking the tale at all. The rest of the Varia seemed to be listening. It wasn't everyday Mammon talked on and on like this, especially when it concerned a much powerful force than theirs.

That one word disturbed Mammon, a part of her brain told her there was something behind his current attitude. But Belphegor has always been moody and unpredictable like that, he'd grow irate in a matter of seconds, and then delightfully annoying after another. And with this thought, Mammon was able to push the disturbance away. "What I mean to say," She cleared her throat, ignoring the urge to ask him why he was being like that. "Is that I'm Mammon no more. Boss, if you'd allow me, I'd like to continue working for you. You… you've seen my capabilities, have you not? I'll be more useful now. More powerful."

"You're a fucking woman." Belphegor commented again, this time, Squalo reacted with an alarmingly loud voice. "Bel, shut up and let Mammon finish!"

"I… know." Admitted Mammon with a small nod. The Varia didn't accept women, from the years she's stayed within the elite assassination squad, never has she seen a female. Which encouraged her even more to take on a new persona, a different one than Viper. But now… fear of what will become of her settled in. The rest may look down on her, but surely her boss, Xanxus, would see things in a different light? He's always had a clear judgment when it came to these things, and the respect she had for him surely wouldn't be gone now. "Boss?" She called out professionally, the fear well hidden. "As Viper—let me continue being Varia."

Xanxus simply stood up and was about to leave the dining hall. Instantly, Mammon—or better yet, Viper—'s heart broke. The Varia was far from being family, but it had grown to be the only thing she's living for, especially since the curse is no more. "Bo-"

"Weren't you listening?" Xanxus cut him off, his voice so deep and emotionless, it was frightening. "Go over the portfolios and report back if anyone catches your eye. This meeting's over."

Oh.

Were her ears deceiving her or did Xanxus just indirectly state she's still Varia?

Oh.

Mother of all that is vile and evil—thank you!

Soon enough, the dining hall slowly became empty, leaving only two figures behind. One of a hooded female and a crowned prince.

"Bel." Viper turned her head to the side, now facing the stubborn prince who continued poking the uneaten steak on his plate. "You're wasting food."

Silence. Belphegor didn't answer.

"Bel." Said Viper again, feeling a little patient over Belphegor's stubbornness to even look at her on the face. What game was he playing, ignoring her like this? Last week she can still clearly remember eating a mont blanc with him! "Belphegor."

The prince stood up, a chin raised over Viper's small, dainty figure. His eyes were still a mystery, carefully hidden under his shaggy blonde mane. But somehow, hidden as they may, Viper was sure he was giving her a glare that almost matched Xanxus'.

Viper's mouth opened partly, about to speak but unable to find words to say. She felt as though Belphegor was scanning her, taking in as much of her like she did with the castle earlier. Feeling wary and incredibly conscious, Viper flinched and stood up as well, now at shoulder's length with the tall and royally elegant Belphegor. "What has gotten into you?" She finally asked, her voice almost pleading to find an answer.

But Belphegor never answered. Instead, he marched away, muttering something under his breath that Viper failed to hear.

* * *

**_Word Count: _**_2, 876_

* * *

**Notes**: Sup, Khr fandom? Been a long while since I wrote anything for ya, and I have to admit, I miss it. My canon knowledge isn't very reliable, and even though I finished the anime and manga, I can't remember much. Ooops. All I know is the ending sucked. Pfft.

So here I am, struggling to post this with my bad internet at 5 in the morning since I started writing this around 3am...

Anyway, this story is actually connected to my previous BelMam story, **What I miss the most**. Obviously the title for this series isn't connected to it. OBVIOUSLY.

Ehem.

Bel's acting pretty weird, huh? Pfft, in all honesty, the plot is still pretty shaky. But if you read WIMTM, then you probably know what comes next after this.

And... Yes, yes, yes, Mammon is a girl. Like I said in WIMTM, I sort of adapted to this headcanon I once saw in tumblr. We all know how Mammon is Viper, right? Mammon is just this other persona Viper made once she became an arcobaleno. So gender wise? Mammon is male, Viper is female.

There ya go!

Did you notice I tried so hard not to use pronouns and such when referring to mammon before the revelation that he's actually a she?

It was hard okay!

* * *

This is sort of irrelevant but I'll try updating weekly, I only have 1 week of summer left and I'm still planing on working on a GokuHaru series as well as 2 others for different fandoms!

ManoNyo!Pru for Hetalia

and LeviHan for Shingeki no Kyojin

Ehe.

* * *

If you like this story, reviews are very much appreciated. They urge me to write more and updates faster u

It'd be really cool if you follow the story if you're curious to know what happens to these two, and a few words as a review would be rad.

Oh and since I normally write stuff from Midnight to around 6am, typos and stupidity is inevitable. Feel free to point them out!

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

The sound of an alarm clock broke the silence of the early morning air. Viper's senses flooded back, an irritated grunt escaping her as she awoke from her sleep.

"A dream…" She whispered to herself, hands already rubbing her aching head. _No, it was a nightmare._ At once, her mind corrected her; the images from the dream still so vivid inside her fresh from sleep mind. After the feat from the night that passed, it was to be expected.

It was that bratty Belphegor's fault! If he didn't pull such a show, then Viper wouldn't have spent the night thinking about this and that or whys and hows. And more importantly, she wouldn't be thinking about him at all! The nerve of that brat… occupying her brain when she could be thinking about more important things….

"Like breakfast." She said in cue to her stomach's rumblings. Oddly, she felt hungry. The senseless must have affected her appetite. However, one look outside her window and it was clear the chefs of the headquarters were still fast asleep, leaving Viper with only leftovers—something she would never be satisfied with. A person of class should be given the best and ONLY the best.

Dragging herself out of her bed, the Varia's mist illusionist took little to no time at all to leave her quarters. She was 99.99% sure everyone was asleep. They did not fear a sudden attack. What moron would attempt to assassinate an assassination squad like them? And even in their pajamas or with nothing at all, blood will still be shed if their security was broken. With small steps, Viper headed to the kitchen, determined to fix herself something to eat. There was always the option of waking up a servant to do her bidding—but that would require changing clothes, fixing her appearance and socialization. All three things were too much of a hassle.

Donning a simple violent night gown and a pair of fluffy black slippers, Viper found it horrifying to be found by any living creature. And so, she made sure she walked quietly and clung to the shadows. There was no hood to protect her face; her night hat didn't reach up to her nose. Plus, it would be silly. Her fringes weren't helping her at all. With it neatly tied along with the rest of her hair in a ponytail, she felt very… exposed. Curse this comfortable get up.

"Oh."

Viper's eyes that were half lidded due to wanting to sleep immediately widened as soon as she opened the kitchen doors. There on the counter, eating roast duck, was none other than the reason she had a rough night—Belphegor. Of course. He's the 0.01%.

"Good morning." In her best effort to conceal her discomfort, she simply nodded to acknowledge him. After a few seconds of silence and the sounds of him chewing nonstop, Viper took the hint and stepped away from the doorway. '_Alright, don't greet me. I don't care.'_ Said a now irritated Viper inside her mind. She headed immediately to one of the refrigerators in the roomy kitchen to determine what to cook. There was plenty to work with, but her culinary skills were lacking….

"Shi shi shi, trying to be a housewife now, Mammon?" The loud, shrilly laugh of the prince echoed in the quiet room. Viper didn't dare turn around and simply continued searching for things she can make for herself. "I am not. Unlike you, I won't settle for leftovers."

"What makes you think a Prince like myself would eat leftovers?" The proud and cocky tone convinced her immediately he wasn't lying. With a small turn of her head, she focused on the food he was eating. What did they have for dinner last night? "…." Steak. They had steak. Not duck. Then how—"Must you really wake up a person in the middle of the night just so you can eat?"

"I'm a Prince. Of course I can."

"Tsss."

Viper turned around yet again, removing herself from the presence of the blond. This type of conversation… it was just like how they usually are. The strange cold treatment was gone. Right from the very start it was just a mood swing. Of course. That was just it. With this in mind, she felt more at ease and closed the refrigerator door. "Muu, Bel. Share that with me."

Immediately, Bel pulled the plate closer to him and laughed. "Shi shi shi. No."

Stunned, Viper calmed herself and refused to throw a fit. "That is more than enough for two."

"The Prince doesn't share with peasants."

"What are you talking about—we've eaten on the same plate before."

"Oh? I don't remember eating with some girl before."

The conversation dropped there. Viper huffed with a new resolve. If that's how he was going to play, then fine. So be it. With each step she took while approaching Belphegor, she shrunk significantly. In a matter of seconds, she was an infant once more.

"Muu, now will you share that duck?"

Another laugh. This time, the plate was pushed forward; a go signal, most likely. Tugging on Belphegor's pajama pants so she'll be lifted up, Viper found herself sitting on the table, the roast in front of her and the blond prince just behind her. This felt odd. Everything was incredibly bigger again. To be honest, she hated this form. The inferiority was just too great. She felt so small….. so powerless. But right now all she needed was food. And if an illusion was what she needed in order to eat, than the illusion of an arcobaleno is what she'll give the stubborn prince.

"Bon appetit."

Taking turns between eating and stealing glances from the person she was eating with, she fought the urge to bluntly ask about his behavior from last night. It seemed to have passed but it still bothered her…. "Bel?"

"Oh? I won't feed you." He said after swallowing a bite. The meal was almost finished and Viper still found herself lost on how to ask. "I wasn't asking for that, idiot. I wanted to ask about your mood swing last night."

Still in her baby form, Viper turned around and looked up—trying to get a better look at the Prince. Again, she failed to read what was going on inside his head. If only she could see his eyes… it would have been easier to guess. "Rest assured I wasn't being _moody, _Mammon. Just stay as you are."

"Lies." Was what all she could retort, a determined glare sent directly at him. Belphegor, however, stood up, took the plate, and placed it beside the sink. For a moment she thought he was going to clean up but he turned to the fridge to get some water. Of course. He will never, ever do anything like cleaning when others can do it for him.

Seeing as they were already done eating, Viper hopped off the table and landed on the feet as a full grown woman again. Well, a tiny woman. Once again the world was just the right size again. Her eyes went to her hands. No more tiny hands that can barely hold on to anything. Yes, this was better. Heading to get some water too, Viper stopped just beside the prince who had his back turned. Before she could get anything, however, she was twisted around.

"Manners. Bel. I'm trying to get water."

Forced to face the Prince for heaven knows why, Viper forced a calm and stoic expression. He was frowning. And staring. Suddenly the worries from last night came rushing right back. "You're being a child again, Bel. Staring at hair isn't my ideal way of ending a meal." The urge to brush away those fringes that successfully covered his eyes was too great—but she knew just how well he can hide those eyes. It would have been a futile attempt.

They both stood still for a while, with Viper hating every second that passed. He was contemplating her new form, wasn't he? Was she that horrendous in his eyes? She wasn't the belle of the boulevard or some gorgeous princess but she wasn't some monster, that's for sure. One more second of awkward silence and Viper was about to speak, but then cold hands found its way to her cheeks. His fingers trailed over the triangular marks on her cheeks, leaving her speechless once again. Then, his hand travelled to the back of her hair.

For a moment, she thought of something indecent. Something very horrible. Horrifying. Sickening. And… wonderful.

A woman of her age… thinking of being kissed by a teenager. The horror! But she'd be lying if she said she didn't hope for it, even for a tiny bit. It was just simple curiosity, was what she told herself. But when he pulled on the tie that kept her hair in a ponytail, the disappointment was too hard to deny. "Bel."

Again, no answer. Instead, he fixed her fringes so they can fall on her face and continued to look at her like some statue in a museum. "Is this your new way of joking around me? If it is, it isn't funny."

His hands moved to her cheeks, giving her a false impression that he was caressing it. He pulled on her cheeks, stretching them to their maximum potential.

"BELPHEGOR!"

Pushing him away, Viper angrily huffed. Confused and insulted at the way she was being toyed with like some….some doll! "I CANNOT read minds. Just what are you trying to prove?"

A frown. The flat line on his face just couldn't be clearer. He 'tsk'ed and took a step back. "None of your business." He turned around, about to head out.

"You…you…. Whatever." Unable to believe his childish behavior, Viper stormed out, walking pass him. "Good night." Was all she said as she passed by him. _Let it go, let it go. You're the older one here. It's up to you to be considerate since obviously HE can't. Meditate. You need to meditate._

Throwing her night hat on her bedside table, Viper positioned herself at the center of her bed. Her mind was too troubled. If this kept up, she wouldn't be able to work.

_Deep breaths._

_1…._

_2…_

_Hnn…._

Eyes closed and mind empty, Viper remained sitting up, mumbling words that would have been gibberish to others. Soon enough, she found herself calm and composed again. Getting worked up because of such petty things… the Prince and his childish antics was getting to her. And obviously if it continued to be that way, they will do nothing but bicker. With this in mind, the mist illusionist started to feel more at ease and opened her eyes, her room becoming visible to her once again.

Even with her current size, it still felt big. An empty space all to herself. The mind could do many things to fill the void brought by the lack of _anything_, but somehow, what she needed to fill in that void was better off as reality, not an illusion. Shifting from sitting up to lying down, Viper decided to give sleep another shot.

* * *

In her dreams, Viper was sitting below a cherry blossom tree with its petals falling down slowly to the ground. It was a peaceful atmosphere. She was doing nothing but relaxing as she leaned back. But it wasn't the tree that supported her weight. It was a person. The current person that decided to inhabit her mind more frequently than she would have liked—no one else but Belphegor. It was just like the old days when the young prince would decide to slack off after a hearty meal and sleep somewhere. And being the unlucky babysitter, she as Mammon the arcobaleno had to follow him around everywhere. So when he slept, she had to as well. He'd encase Mammon in his arms or simply let him sleep on his lap. As viper, she simply sat in front of him and leaned back.

That was all the dream consisted of. Nothing but the mind's cry for serenity.

Of course, Viper refused to acknowledge this 'cry' and saw it as a nightmare that had to be pushed away. It was the dream she had right after the confusing dinner, and it was the same dream right after the even more confusing breakfast.

* * *

"Mamsy~ You should be resting!" Flamboyant as always, Lussuria took the first chance he could get at hugging the fresh from sleep Viper. "Muu, I've rested enough. Let go of me!"

"Ah, of course, of course. Wouldn't want to break your bones while you're recovering." Said Lussuria right before releasing Viper from the tight hug.

"Thank you." Viper said, rubbing her arm a bit as she continued to walk towards Superbia Squalo's office. But before she could, Lussuria grabbed on to her arm. "And ~where~ are you trying to go? Hmmmmm?"

"To get the portfolio. And WHAT are YOU trying to do?" Forcefully breaking free from Lussuria's grasp, Viper was about to continue walking when Lussuria said something that made her forget about her agenda completely. "And here I thought Bel wanted to go on that mission alone so you can rest. Tsk, tsk. A workaholic's life doesn't suit you and your pretty face Mamsy~"

With a look of complete astonishment on her face, Viper pulled on Lussuria's arm and demanded for an explanation. "What mission? And what on earth are you talking about?"

"Eh? But Bel said he's soloing today since you're 'unfit' for missions." He said with matching air quotes. "And since you just 'died' the other day, I can see his point. You need to rest up, you silly girl! Go on now, shoo, shoo. Off to bed you go."

"Lussuria, wait—" Pushed back to her room, Viper felt the irritation coming back. No matter how much she said she was fine, Lussuria insisted she wasn't!

_Don't waste our dear Bel's brave efforts in giving you a day off!_

_Oh, relax. I'll send the portfolios some other day. Just rest, rest, rest! And thank Bel once he gets back._

_Ohohoho, trying to put on a brave front? I've already told Squalo and he's fine with a day or two off. Let your Prince Charming do all the work for now. _

"Charming. Ha! The only thing that brat of a prince can charm is a rock!"

After cursing Lussuria and her fate, Viper decided to distract herself once again and settled for reading books. Day off…. Che. As if she needed one. The more she lazed around with nothing to do, the more time she'll have to think. Lately, thinking has only driven her crazy.

* * *

Two days after being excluded from a mission, Viper heard news the resident Prince was back. She already gathered a list of things to say, and she planned on letting him know every single word. Even if Lussuria said it was out of concern, a large portion of her mind was convinced it was all just an act to exclude her from the mission. In her understanding, 'unfit' didn't mean she was injured or that she needed rest, it meant she wasn't needed and would just be a burden. The nerve!

Now that her powers weren't being restrained, Viper took out a piece of special paper and concentrated her power on it. She didn't need to sneeze or anything on it anymore; it was disgusting and inelegant—an insult to her skills! "Muu, now where's that brat?"

The blank piece of paper suddenly started to form lines. It was like abstract art at first, but soon enough a portion of the castle's blueprints was being displayed with two 'x' marks on it; one for Viper and one for Belphegor.

"There you are. Hmp." Following the map, it only took her a matter of minutes to spot the prince. He was heading her way, apparently about to go back to his quarters. "I could have joined you in that mission. Are you trying to get all my pay? Ha. Shame I'm still getting credited. Next time, think of a better sc-"

He walked pass her.

Just like that.

Without a single word.

Turning around, Viper watched as his back continued moving farther away.

"Are you ignoring me again?"

No response.

"Turn around."

Nothing.

"Belphegor."

And then he turned to a corner, disappearing from her point of view. Looking back at the piece of paper in her hands, Viper watched as the x moved farther and farther away. "What. A. Brat." She gritted her teeth and crumpled the piece of paper.

Instead of letting irritation get the best of her, she followed him, taking a shorter way to block him before he can return to the safety of his quarters. Walking so fast as if she was running, Viper didn't even bother greeting her boss when he passed by. Her main focus right now was to make sense into this confusing situation. Belphegor wouldn't ignore her without a reason, could he?

"…."

Hiding in the dark, Viper made sure to time herself. "Of course he couldn't." She convinced herself as the time for her to step out drew near.

"Muu, Bel." Her voice came out as a gentle sound. Soon enough, her figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing herself. She blocked his way in case he tried to walk pass her again and mimicked every step he took so he'd be forced to face her. "Bel."

Finally, after stepping from left to right repeatedly, Belphegor stopped in his tracks and let out an annoyed sigh. "I still don't believe you're a girl."

Definitely not the answer she was looking for, Viper simply raised a bow and crossed her arms. "What's not to believe? I'm not an infant, Bel. I never was."

"Yes you were."

"No I wasn't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"I'm almost the same height as you; do I look like a baby?"

"You could if you wanted to."

"Now why would I want to be a baby?"

"Because I'm a Prince and I say so."

Like children fighting over a pointless thing, it all ended with a 'because I say so'. Brat. Nothing but an inconsiderate brat. Despite this, the Varia illusionist still found herself obliging to his every wish.

With a snap of her fingers, Viper took on the form of Mammon once again. "There. NOW will you stop ignoring me?"

"Tch. I'm going to bed."

Stepping over her, Belphegor didn't waste any time and escaped right away. When Viper turned back, he was already gone.

"…"

And once again, Viper failed. If it wasn't for Lussuria shaking her back to reality, she would have stood there like an idiot for the rest of the day.

"Oh, Mams. Ignore Bel. He's just adapting to the new you!" He teased and poked her cheeks, a chuckle escaping him when she pouted. "His way of adapting is a little too harsh—even for his standards." She shrugged and absent mindedly browsed through the portfolio Lussuria gave right after waking her up from that dazed state.

"Our dear Prince is still just a boy, and you and he were very close." A sly smile formed on the Varia's sun's lips. "When you disappeared without a trace… ohoho, you should have seen his tantrum."

Interest piqued, Viper asked, "Tantrum? What tantrum?" He threw a fit because of her disappearance? Did he search for her? Became worried? WHAT?

With a wag of his finger, Lussuria took a few steps back and grinned, obviously entertained at the piqued interest from the normally uninterested illusionist. "My lips are sealed~"

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**_Word Count: _**_3, 279_

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**Notes:** I'm alive! This story is alive! Oh look it's 3:30 am and I started typing this up around 1 am, orz.

Hello people! First of, I'm deeply sorry. I'm 2 MONTHS late. EEEEP. Well... I posted this story right before the academic year started, and as a third year college student who's very active in extra curriculars, things have been real... hectic, to say the least.

Midterm exams just finished for me and I'm blessed with a long weekend! I started typing this around June but i lost my documents because I save em in my flashdrive and it got corrupted.

I really am sorry, I appreciate the messages though!

Second, I hope this chapter isn't bad. I feel as though my writing keeps sucking instead of improving ._. The plot I had in mind got lost but I ended up with a new one and hopefully the next chapters would make sense! Bel is a stubborn one, aint he?

Third, oh wow it's so awkward to use Viper instead of Mammon. I like Mamsy better tbh ahaha oh well~ From the chapters to come, there won't be much 'moments' because the ignoring bit is going to keep on happening, as stated in 'What I miss the most' aka the story this story is linked to. Oh and, I used a part of the story from there here, ehe~

Oh, man. I really need to be more descriptive instead of just writing feels.

I'm trying to be angsty though. And the following chapters are going to be full of drama wama from dear Mamsy. And maybe even a Bel POV? :D

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If you like this story, reviews are very much appreciated. They urge me to write more and updates faster ouo

It'd be really cool if you follow the story if you're curious to know what happens to these two, and a few words as a review would be rad.

Oh, and since I normally write stuff from Midnight to around 6am, typos and stupidity is inevitable. Feel free to point them out!

**Thanks for reading!**


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